Although it might seem impossible, some movies are the closest thing to perfection that a cinematic effort can get. To most people, this impression is subjective, including the directors who make them. These creators are also avid movie fans, and most of their work is an homage to something they grew up loving and admiring. Over the last five years, there have been movies that have moved the boundaries of what’s been seen so far and have even given some big stars their well-deserved comebacks.
The beauty of film lies in the fact that movies are all in different genres and make people of different ages and sensibilities happy. The flawless movies on this list were released in the last five years and come in various genres and lengths, but serve the same purpose: they show why cinema is so great, so relatable, and so eternally inspiring to people all over the world.
12
‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki
It might be surprising that a kaiju movie is on the list, since the Godzilla franchise in the US has turned into a bit of an IP and doesn’t always get the highest quality adaptations and features. However, the first Japanese Godzilla movie since Shin Godzilla of 2016, Godzilla Minus One, was one of the most talked-about movies in 2023. Praised for brilliant and captivating performances, clever and grounded writing, and fantastic visual effects that surpassed most movies that year, Godzilla Minus One really is a perfect movie in every way. It was, as critics said, the first Godzilla movie where you cheer for the people and not the monster.
Godzilla Minus One shows the protagonist, a kamikaze pilot, Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), landing on the island of Odo for repairs on his plane. While there, he and the mechanics are attacked by a giant deep sea monster resembling a dinosaur, which the locals dubbed Godzilla. Shikishima soon advances to Tokyo and settles there with a woman and child he finds homeless. As Godzilla advances toward Tokyo, Shikishima joins the experts fighting against the monster to stop it from destroying the entire city. It’s an amazing movie, no doubt about it, and a great testament to Japan’s enduring dedication to making Godzilla the scariest kaiju ever conceived.
11
‘Conclave’ (2024)
Directed by Edward Berger
Conclave garnered a lot of attention in 2025, as people were rewatching it amid the death of Pope Francis. However, even when it first came out, the adoration for it was, just like the movie, quietly powerful. People were cheering for Ralph Fiennes to finally get his long-deserved golden statue at the 2025 Oscars, but alas, just like the Cardinals coveting the title of the Pope, Fiennes was robbed of the victory. Conclave is a thrilling movie without an ounce of action, and one of the best movies of the past five years. It can very easily be considered perfect from start to finish; yes, even the ending is.
Conclave follows the Cardinals in the Vatican, who seal themselves off from the world in the process of selecting the new Pope after the death of the most recent one. The protagonist is Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes), a man who tries to maintain fairness and nobility in the selection, though he’s often sabotaged in his attempts by other, more power-hungry Cardinals. It’s like Gossip Girl meets the Vatican, in truly the best way possible. Conclave is also incredibly visually beautiful, with stunning photography and camerawork.
10
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ (2022)
Directed by Martin McDonagh
Though Martin McDonagh had no effect on the stunning landscapes of Ireland, his choice of location can be deemed perfect by itself; the beautiful Aran Islands in Galway County made the ideal backdrop for a story about friendship. The Banshees of Inisherin is a black comedy-drama about two lifelong friends, Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), set in a fictional village called Inisherin. After reaching a breaking point, Colm decides to end his friendship with Padraic, who can’t come to terms with that. As Padraic insistently pursues Colm for an explanation, the latter retreats further, resorting to strict measures.
Farrell does such a wonderful job as Padraic that, in moments, viewers’ hearts could genuinely break for him. On the other hand, Gleeson’s stubborn and stoic portrayal of Colm may sometimes feel heartless through understated but powerful acting. The story explores the loneliness of life on a poor and barely populated island, but more than that, it shows how anger, honesty, and pride can be double-edged swords, even among lifelong friends. The soundtrack by Carter Burwell, McDonagh’s punchy script, and the genuinely fabulous performances from the entire cast make The Banshees of Inisherin one of the perfect movies of the last five years.
9
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
With so many sequels, prequels, and spin-offs overtaking Hollywood over the past five to ten years, the fact that a legacy sequel like Top Gun: Maverick was going to be one of the best movies of that year hadn’t occurred to anyone. Except, well, maybe director Joseph Kosinski, leading man Tom Cruise, and the studio heads who approved it. Maverick isn’t only great, but it can be very well argued that it’s one of 2022’s movies that is perfect from start to finish. Real airborne stunts and performances, brilliant action choreographies and directing, and some cheesy, but lovable characters really made Maverick the action masterpiece that Cruise and the crew can be proud of.
Top Gun: Maverick follows the previous movie’s protagonist, Maverick (Cruise), aka Pete Mitchell, as he returns to the Top Gun training school as a teacher. There, he sees the son of his deceased flying partner Goose Bradshaw, Rooster Bradshaw (Miles Teller). Rooster dislikes Maverick, but the two bond over their time at the Top Gun academy. Their relationship, however, is secondary to the exciting main plot, which is training Top Gun pilots to drop bombs on an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant before any enemy countries get their hands on it. With some great ensemble moments and intense flying scenes, Maverick turns into an incredibly fun and exciting movie that will keep you glued to the screen.
8
‘Aftersun’ (2022)
Directed by Charlotte Wells
The loss of someone close can feel like the ground’s been swept away from one’s feet. Aftersun takes viewers through a father-daughter story while slowly, with some hints but just enough not to notice, pulling the ground away from them. Charlotte Wells‘ tribute to her father is so beautifully depicted that the only way to describe the movie’s impact is through the famous line, “Life imitates art.” This coming-of-age drama follows 11-year-old Sophie (Frankie Corio) on a holiday in Turkey with her dad, Calum (Paul Mescal). Sophie records most of the vacation with her camera and uses the footage as a grownup to rewatch and reminisce.
Sophie’s dad, Calum, tries his best to be open with her but exhibits signs of mental anguish that she (unsuccessfully) attempts to fix. In Aftersun, Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio’s dynamics and chemistry are natural; Mescal hasn’t been in a lot since his debut in Normal People, but Aftersun will surely be one of his best-remembered movies. Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut is one of the best movies of the decade and a beautiful way to capture a relationship that will, to her, remain eternal.
7
‘Past Lives’ (2023)
Directed by Celine Song
The concept called inyeon is an idea that a current relationship between two lovers is impacted by the relationships they had in over a thousand past lives. This is the driving force behind Celine Song’s devastatingly emotional debut, Past Lives, starring Greta Lee and Teo Yoo. They portray Nora and Hae-sung, two childhood friends from Korea who become separated after Nora’s family moves to the US. They find each other online after twelve years and rekindle the relationship, but life and fate separate them once again for another twelve years.
In the present time, Nora is married to Arthur (John Magaro), and their relationship seems to be stable and well. When Hae-sung reaches out to Nora again, they agree for him to visit her in the US. Arthur notices a shift in Nora’s behavior while she’s forced to navigate her feelings for him and Hae-sung. The pressure of what could have been is a haunting idea for many, often wondering “what if” about someone, trying to understand if what they have now could or should be different. In a heartbreaking final scene, Past Lives concludes a beautiful but sad story about the multitudes of love.
6
‘Palm Springs’ (2021)
Directed by Max Barbakow
The underrated romantic comedy Palm Springs has an interesting sci-fi twist, making it special and, basically, perfect. It’s not the first time viewers have seen a romantic comedy with a time loop twist, but Palm Springs is a quirky and lovable homage to movies like Groundhog Day, where falling in love defies any circumstance and time. Andy Siara and Max Barbakowski developed the story, with the former writing it in 2015 after the latter attended Siara’s Palm Springs-based wedding.
The story follows the careless Nyles (Andy Samberg), who accidentally gets stuck in a time loop after attending a wedding in a Palm Springs resort. On one of the occasions, Nyles hooks up with the cynical Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the bride’s sister. Before Nyles can stop her, Sarah becomes stuck in the loop with him, reliving the wedding over and over. The two bond, and soon, their adventure becomes more than just being stuck in one moment in time. While Palm Springs is the ultimate summer movie, it’s also one of the best and most innovative sci-fi romances, making it more than just a feel-good flick for a season. Indeed, it often takes more watches to realize all the parts that make it amazing.
5
‘Anora’ (2024)
Directed by Sean Baker
The character posters for Anora featured all the characters announcing the movie in a different genre. For example, the poster with Mikey Madison says Anora is a “Cinderella story,” while Karren Karagulian‘s poster says it’s a drama, and Yuri Borisov‘s that it’s a tragedy. It’s a brilliant detail in an already pretty elaborate and layered drama that still depicts a very classic story. Anora won Best Picture, Sean Baker won Best Director, and Madison won Best Actress for Anora at the 2025 Oscars, and though the sweep was surprising, it was very well-deserved. Just the final five minutes of the movie are a film in themselves, showing a completely different yet anticipated side of our fierce and feisty protagonist, Anora.
Anora follows the eponymous Anora, a stripper in an NYC club who prefers to go by Ani. Ani has Russian heritage, and when a young heir to a business mogul, Ivan (Mark Eydelstein), requests a girl who speaks Russian, his and Ani’s paths cross, and the two start spending time together. Ani falls for Ivan, but when he hears his parents might be coming to the US, he vanishes, and Ani’s left to look for him with his goons. It’s a thriller, a drama, a comedy, a tragedy in many ways, and a modern fairytale depending on who you ask; the layers of Anora are worth examining in several rewatches.
4
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Directed by The Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert)
The ultimate winner of the 2023 Oscars, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a rare offbeat movie that won over mass audiences and most movie critics. It’s not a story that’s easy to retell since it tackles many important topics, from self-discovery and mental illness to disrupting tradition and finding a place to belong. Still, EEAO caused a shift, giving prestigious awards to Asian actors for leading roles, a welcome addition to the wonderful world of film and TV.
EEAO follows Evelyn Quan Wong (Michelle Yeoh), a laundromat owner whose relationships with her husband, father, and daughter are all strained in some way. When she starts becoming different versions of herself from parallel universes, she realizes it’s on her to save existence itself. There’s a genre for everyone in EEAO; Ke Huy Quan is exceptional in the stunning action portions of the sci-fi movie, though Michelle Yeoh doesn’t fall behind. Stephanie Hsu also brings a relatable character as Evelyn’s daughter, an immigrant child with set traditions and rules in place where parental love should be. A masterclass in genre-bending, Everything Everywhere All at Once is still as relevant as it was years ago.
3
‘Nope’ (2022)
Directed by Jordan Peele
The visual beauty of Nope is only surpassed by its tense and mysterious plot. Through stunning landscape shots filmed with an IMAX camera, Jordan Peele creates tension while the movie’s first half guides viewers into the world of the Haywood family and their ranch for Hollywood horses. OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) is calm on the surface but an emotional fighter on the inside; his younger sister Em (Keke Palmer) is talkative, with big ideas and an even bigger personality. OJ and Em realize they may have an alien presence above their farm and decide to film it so they can earn money to sustain their business.
Next to their farm is an adventure park called Jupiter’s Claim, run by a former child star, Ricky Park (Steven Yeun), who also sees the alien presence and decides to take advantage of it for his special park shows. Power outages, horses behaving chaotically, and various paraphernalia falling from the sky cause OJ and Em to go from capturing the alien to fighting it to save their lives. Nope is riddled with Easter eggs, homages, and inspirations. Peele is an obvious horror and sci-fi lover, which is more visible in Nope than in his other two movies. Many claim Get Out is Peele’s best film, but it’s not as perfect as Nope is, though they’re two very different movies.
